VOA词汇掌故2023 成败全凭自己

And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning¹ English.

欢迎收听VOA慢速英语《词汇掌故》节目。

On this program, we explore words and expressions in the English language.

在本节目中，我们探讨英语中的单词和短语。

We give examples, notes on usage², and sometimes we use them in short stories.

我们举例子并对用法进行解释说明，有时我们会在简短的对话中使用它们。

Today we talk a great about a great activity to keep healthy and cool.

今天，我们谈论一项保持健康和凉爽的好活动。

In hot weather, there is nothing better than swimming in cool water.

在炎热的天气里，没有什么比在凉水里游泳更好的了。

Swimming is a great way to beat the heat and get exercise.

游泳是一种消暑和锻炼身体的好方法。

But swimming is not only for fun.

但游泳不仅仅是为了好玩。

Knowing how to swim can save your life.

会游泳可以救你的命。

If you do not know how to swim, you could sink in the water.

如果你不会游泳，你可能会沉入水中。

And it can happen fast.

而且会沉得很快。

So, today we talk about the idiom to sink or swim.

所以，今天我们来谈谈习语“sink or swim（自己去闯，成败全凭自己）”。

To sink or swim means³ you either quickly succeed at something or quickly fail.

sink or swim的意思是在某事上你要么很快成功，要么很快失败。

To sink or swim suggests that you will either succeed or fail based on your own skills.

sink or swim表示你成功与否取决于你自己的技能。

Others may have taught you or helped you to prepare for something.

其他人可能教了你或帮助你为某事做准备。

But, the final responsibility⁴ is yours.

但是，最后的责任是你的。

So, we use this idiom to describe a high-pressure situation where your success or survival⁵ depends on your ability to perform.

所以，我们用这个习语来形容一种高压的情况，你的成功或生存取决于你的表现能力。

We sometimes pair the idiom sink or swim with the expression to be thrown into the deep end -- as in the deep part of a pool.

我们有时会把习语sink or swim与be thrown into the deep end（比如游泳池的深水区）搭配。

A parent, teacher, or coach could throw a child into the deep end to see if the child will sink or swim, although it is not likely.

家长、老师或教练可能会把孩子扔进深水区，看看孩子是下沉还是会游泳，尽管可能性不大。

Usually, it means to put someone in a situation to see how they do.

通常情况下，它的意思是让某人置于一种境地，看看他们会怎么做。

For example, let's say you have been preparing for an English test for many weeks.

例如，假设你已经为一场英语考试准备了好几个星期。

If you pass it, you may be able to get a better position at your job.

如果你通过了考试，你也许能得到一个更好的职位。

You had a great teacher who helped you.

你有一位帮助你的好老师。

But on test day, it's sink or swim. Success is up to you.

但在考试日，成败全凭自己。成功与否取决于你自己。

Sink or swim can also describe a situation where you must succeed quickly or you will fail fully⁶.

Sink or swim也可以用来描述这样一种情况，即你必须迅速成功，否则你将会彻底失败。

There is no middle ground.

没有中间地带。

It is a win or lose situation.

即非赢即输的情况。

In these situations, we can also say, "it's now or never."

在这种情况下，我们也可以说，“it's now or never（勿失良机）。”

This means the time to prove yourself is … now.

意思是证明自己的时间就是现在。

You will not have another chance.

你不会再有机会了。

All your preparation has come to this moment … whatever that moment is.

你所有的准备都是为了这一刻，不管那一刻是什么。

You need to rise to the occasion⁷.

你需要成功应对困难。

Sink or swim situations can also be called make or break events.

Sink or swim的情况也可以称为不成则败的事件。

They can either make you better.

它们要么能让你变得更好。

Or they can break you.

要么击垮你。

If the situation is very serious and the risks are very great, you can also say do or die.

如果情况很严重，风险很大，你也可以说do or die（拼死一搏）。

You either take action or you will definitely⁸ fail.

你要么采取行动，要么肯定会失败。

Luckily learning English is not a do or die situation.

幸运的是，学习英语并不是生死之战。

And VOA Learning English will be here to help you grow your English skills -- so you can swim, instead of sink, in the test pool!

美国之音慢速英语将在这里帮助你提高英语技能——这样你就可以在考试池中游泳，而不是沉没！

And that's all the time we have for Words and Their Stories. Until next time … I'm Anna Matteo.

以上就是本期《词汇掌故》节目的全部内容。下次见……我是安娜·马特奥。

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 usage   

n.惯用法，使用，用法

参考例句：

• I am clear about the usage of this word at last.这个词的用法我算是弄明白了。
• The usage is now firmly established.这种用法现已得到确认。

3 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

4 responsibility   

n.责任，职责

参考例句：

• The safety of the ship is the captain's responsibility.确保船的安全是船长的责任。
• The matter is outside my area of the responsibility.此事超出我的责任范围。

5 survival   

n.留住生命，生存，残存，幸存者

参考例句：

• The doctor told my wife I had a fifty-fifty chance of survival.医生告诉我的妻子，说我活下去的可能性只有50%。
• The old man was a survival of a past age.这位老人是上一代的遗老。

6 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

7 occasion   

n.场合，时机，机会，诱因，理由；vt.惹起，引起

参考例句：

• Her dress was too showy for such a formal occasion.在如此正式的场合，她的服装过分华丽了。
• Her tears were fought back on such an occasion.在这种场合下她忍住了眼泪。

8 definitely   

adv.一定地，肯定地；明确地，确切地

参考例句：

• The team will definitely lose if he doesn't play.如果他不参加比赛，这个队肯定会输。
• I shall definitely be home before six o'clock.6点以前，我一定回家。